Holiday Closures at The Spectrum Society Office
- Friday January 1st 2021 – Closed
- Monday January 4th – regular hour
______________________________________________________________________
Check out the Community Inclusion Fall Newsletter:
Link to Newsletter: 2020CIC_NEWSLETTER_FALL2020final
______________________________________________________________________
COVID-19 Updates – December 29, 2020 – Vaccine Distribution
Keeping Safe and Healthy Through the Holidays
The basics of keeping the people we support, our teams and your families Healthy and Safe are important to practice every day:
- Stay home if you sick – Call 811 for further directions.
- Wash your hands regularly
- Keep your distance – at least two metres or six feet from people outside your bubble
- Wear a mask on transit, in stores, in all indoor public spaces.
- Keep your social bubble small – But stay connected with friends and family. Phone, video chat, go for a walk outside – it is so important to keep in touch.
BC’s Plan for Vaccine Distribution
The COVID-19 immunization program will involve making vaccines available to everyone in the province who the vaccine is recommended for and who would like to be vaccinated. B.C. hopes to have vaccine available for all those who choose to vaccinated by the end of 2021. It will take time before there’s enough vaccine for everyone. While the immunizations take place, we will need to continue to maintain COVID-19 prevention measures.
Groups that will get vaccinated first
Vaccines will not be available to all British Columbians at once. Vaccine distribution will be phased and will start with key populations based on Canada’s pandemic plan to reduce severe outcomes and deaths.
The first groups to get vaccinated between December and February will be:
- residents, staff and essential visitors to long-term care and assisted-living residences.
- individuals in hospital or community awaiting a long term care placement
- health care workers providing care for COVID-19 patients in settings like Intensive Care Units, emergency departments, medical/surgical units and paramedics.
- remote and isolated First Nations communities.
From February to March, the immunization program will expand to include:
- community-based seniors, age 80 and above, Indigenous elders and Indigenous seniors, age 65 and above.
- people experiencing homelessness and/or using shelters.
- provincial correctional facilities.
- adults in group homes or mental health residential care.
- long term home support recipients and staff.
- hospital staff, community GPs and medical specialists.
Current COVID-19 vaccines trials are in adults. Initially, vaccines are expected to be approved for adult use. COVID-19 is a more serious illness for adults.
More information:
=== === === ===
The BC Recovery Benefit
Apply now for the BC Recovery Benefit, a one-time, tax-free payment of up to $1,000 for eligible families and single parents and up to $500 for eligible individuals. You have until June 30, 2021 to apply.
How the benefit works
The BC Recovery Benefit (the benefit) is a one-time direct deposit payment for eligible families, single parents or individuals. Benefit eligibility is based on net income from your 2019 tax return. You must apply to receive the benefit.
More information:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/economic-recovery/recovery-benefit
== == == == == == == == ==
Pandemic Pay Update
The Provincial Government is still processing pandemic pay invoices and when our funds arrive, we will pay them out through our payroll process.
The government says in their apology:
Delays are largely due to administrative complexities associated with distributing a new program to an estimated 250,000 employees working for hundreds of different employers.
Despite the challenges of the program, it should not have taken this long for employees to receive their pay. The Province apologizes for the significant impact this delay has had for everyone affected.
More information here:
We will keep you informed.
Ernie Baatz
Executive Director
Spectrum Society for Community Living
______________________________________________________________________
It is a great time to review the contents of emergency medical and earthquake kits in your home.
Are your water and food rations currently dated? Other items like glow sticks and batteries have expiry dates. It’s a good time to make sure everything is up to date.
Did you use some of the medical supplies during the year? Now is a great time to order replacement items. Please note that WCB Level 1 First Aid Kits are required in all of the homes that are staffed.
Have there been changes in the number of people residing in your home? Do you need more or less supplies?
Have any of the people you live with changed their diets over the past year? Do you need to change the dietary foods in their earthquake kits?
If you need help with restocking your emergency medical and earthquake supplies please feel free to contact Judy Smith at judy@spectrumsociety.org for assistance.
It is a good time to review all safety procedures in the home; making sure that exit routes are clear of debris, including accessing risk factors (for example, moving items on shelves that could fall and moving heavy items to bottom shelves instead of top shelves). Are all staff are familiar with where emergency care items are stored? Please review the following information from our policy manual with the staff and individuals you support. Include staff to join on skype or zoom if you cannot meet in person so everyone is familiar with this process.
(https://sscl.sharevision.ca/public/PolicyDirectory/General%20Policies/34.0.EmergencyPreparedness.pdf)
When you have completed your Earthquake Drill please record this information on Sharevision.
______________________________________________________________________
How to Register for Emergency First Aid Community Care:
Call St. John Ambulance: (604) 321-7242
- They above number is their main line, but they have a number of locations across the lower mainland if you would like to call a location directly: http://www.sja.ca/English/About-Us/Pages/Locations.aspx
- Register yourself for Emergency First Aid Community Care.
If you did not have your first aid certificate upon hire, you are responsible for the initial cost, which is currently $102.00, and Spectrum covers renewal fees.
- If you are renewing your first aid, ask St. John Ambulance to invoice Spectrum Society
- Let them know Spectrum Society will be paying for your course fee.
*St. John Ambulance may request authorization from Spectrum. Email hr@spectrumsociety.org with the date/location you want to complete the course and we will call them to confirm your registration.
First Aid is a requirement for employment as indicated in ‘Policy 4: Requirements for Employment.’
If requirements for employment are not met within a timely manner, shifts will be suspended without pay until this requirement is met. Below is a link to Spectrum’s First Aid policy:
Please respond back with your course date. Prior to attending the class please arrange a time to come to the office to receive your free face mask.
For employees renewing their first aid, please ensure St. John’s Ambulance (SJA) includes the CPR pocket mask with your first aid registration. If the CPR pocket mask is not included with your registration fee, SJA requires attendees pay for this on the day of course completion; you can save your receipt and submit it to Human Resources for reimbursement.
Please send your certificate of course completion to the Spectrum Society office to have your file updated.
Please let Judy know if you have any questions or issues registering, by emailing her at judy@spectrumsociety.org
Virtual Bingo
Thanks to Ruth and Chantel for organizing another round of Virtual Bingo!